Grants available for healthy living projects in Northern B.C.

Northern Health’s Imagine Community Grants are back, offering up to $5,000 in funding for healthy living projects in Northern B.C.

The Imagine grants provide funding to community organizations, service agencies, Indigenous organizations, schools, municipalities, regional districts and other partners with projects that support northerners in their efforts to stay healthy. Projects should aim to prevent chronic disease and injury or promote health in one or more of the following areas: healthy eating and food security; physical activity and active living; injury prevention; tobacco-free communities; positive mental health; prevention of substance harms; healthy early childhood development; healthy aging; and healthy school action.

Since 2009, the Imagine Community Grants have provided funding to 860 projects across Northern B.C. Past projects have included community gardens and projects that support food gathering and traditional methods of food harvesting and preservation, community walking trail enhancements and workshops to support skills development.

Applicants can apply for funding of up to $5,000 for their project. Preference will be given to projects that encourage different community groups to work together, address something that is missing in the community, help those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable, develop skills and resources in the community, and have a plan to live on in the community after the funding ends.

The call for applications opens Sept. 1 and the deadline for is Sept. 30, 2018.